Found Some Paperhttp://www.foundsomepaper.com
Thu, 20 Jul 2017 14:18:33 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.8.1Green Summer Love With Amarahttp://www.foundsomepaper.com/green-summer-love-amara/
http://www.foundsomepaper.com/green-summer-love-amara/#respondThu, 20 Jul 2017 14:18:33 +0000http://www.foundsomepaper.com/?p=3614 I recently had the absolute pleasure collaborating with Amara. Since I love all things green I found some amazing items in their shop which you can find below. I can’t tell you what’s my favourite but I’m definitely using the glasses the most. I love their touch of (different) green at the bottom. The […]

I recently had the absolute pleasure collaborating with Amara. Since I love all things green I found some amazing items in their shop which you can find below. I can’t tell you what’s my favourite but I’m definitely using the glasses the most. I love their touch of (different) green at the bottom. The plates are just perfect when I invite my friends over to have some food on our lovely terrace in the middle of the city. I also never go out without my green drink bottle anymore. I just love that it looks so elegant. You can find all the products below.

]]>http://www.foundsomepaper.com/green-summer-love-amara/feed/0My Belated 2017 Goals & A Little Recap of 2016http://www.foundsomepaper.com/my-belated-2017-goals/
http://www.foundsomepaper.com/my-belated-2017-goals/#respondSat, 21 Jan 2017 14:40:01 +0000http://www.foundsomepaper.com/?p=3608 I love setting goals but this year I’m a bit late in writing them down. I can’t believe it’s almost February. I probably start every post with ‘time is flying’. Well, it’s time for my 2017 goals. Despite 2016 being quite an unpleasant year for the world, I couldn’t complain about my tiny insignificant […]

I love setting goals but this year I’m a bit late in writing them down. I can’t believe it’s almost February. I probably start every post with ‘time is flying’. Well, it’s time for my 2017 goals.

Despite 2016 being quite an unpleasant year for the world, I couldn’t complain about my tiny insignificant life. I met my little nephew in April 2016, travelled home 4 times instead of the usual one time for Christmas and every time was amazing. I also started my freelance adventure exactly one year ago and despite being poorer than before it has been a good first year for me.

I said goodbye to the year 2016 celebrating in Portugal which was a perfect end. Now, we’re already 3 weeks into the new year. I feel a little lost without setting concrete goals for this year so it’s about time I do it.

2017 Goals

A new project: I will tell you all about it in more detail in another blog post but it belongs to my 2017 goals so I will tell you a little bit about it now. I’m launching an eCommerce platform in March 2017 called Secrets of Green where I talk about all things nature and “green” and sell products from small businesses related to it. Have a look at the Instagram account aka mood board here. I want to make this project a success!

Family: This is a goal I just want to continue every year. I want to see my family at least every 3 months. I want to see my little nephew growing up and I want to be a part of his life. Last but not least, it might be also time to start my own family. Not exactly a goal for this year but I might as well start planning already.

Hygge: I recently read about this topic and it perfectly describes the journey I’m on. As I mentioned earlier, time is flying all the time. Hygge is the opposite. It’s about mindfulness and consciously enjoying the here and now with a book in your hand and a candle calming the atmosphere. I want to do things slower and I want to get rid of the feeling of missing out.

And that’s about it. I don’t want to have a million goals I can’t reach; just these 3 goals.

]]>http://www.foundsomepaper.com/my-belated-2017-goals/feed/0Working From Home for Creative Peoplehttp://www.foundsomepaper.com/working-from-home-for-creative-people/
http://www.foundsomepaper.com/working-from-home-for-creative-people/#respondMon, 19 Dec 2016 17:25:07 +0000http://www.foundsomepaper.com/?p=3595Enjoy this guest blog post by Jenny Holt, freelance writer, who wrote about working from home for creative people. It’s very relevant for myself and I’m sure it is for some of you, too. I hope it helps you making the right decision for yourself. * Are you a creative considering a move away from […]

Enjoy this guest blog post by Jenny Holt, freelance writer, who wrote about working from home for creative people. It’s very relevant for myself and I’m sure it is for some of you, too. I hope it helps you making the right decision for yourself.

*

Are you a creative considering a move away from an official workplace and working from the comfort of your own home? A recent study by the Trade Union Congress found that the number of people working regularly from home in the UK has risen by a fifth in the last decade, now topping over 1.5 million. But the freedom offered by a home office situation isn’t for everyone. Here are some of the pros and cons to consider before taking the leap.

Advantages

Freedom

Creative people thrive on the versatility and flexibility that working from home provides – after all, there’s no knowing when the Muse will pay you a visit! Plus, you get to take holiday when you want, work around other commitments, and choose to work at your most productive time.

Independence

Creatives are also often best left to their own devices if they want to get the optimum results from their work. A micromanaging boss is the last thing you need when you’re in the throes of creating something amazing, and being at home gives you the autonomy you need to make this happen. You get to develop your best ideas and have control over your creative process, which leads to fulfillment and professional satisfaction.

Economy

Doing what you love is essential for your happiness. But it’s not always easy if the job you love doesn’t bring in as much money, or as reliable an income, as a 9-5 office job. Having your studio or office at home cuts overheads and can help make your dream job a possibility.

Disadvantages

Lack of structure

Creative people often go through spells of being swept up in the inspiration of what they’re doing, and then facing periods of relative inactivity. If you’re in a shared workspace under a boss, you’re forced to work through these dry spells, but when you work from home, you can just indulge them. Think sleeping in, staying in your pyjamas all day, getting very little done and, consequently: not being able to pay the rent.

Isolation

Working from home has many pros and cons, but one of the biggest negatives is the feeling of loneliness that can sometimes arise from working alone. When you work in a shared space like an office, you’re forced into contact with people regularly, which although can sometimes be frustrating, is a natural state for human beings. If you have no other reason to leave your house, you may find that you don’t have human contact for days on end with anyone except your immediate family, which can lead to the formation of negative thought patterns and habits.

]]>http://www.foundsomepaper.com/working-from-home-for-creative-people/feed/0Here Are The 10 Most Creative Christmas Treeshttp://www.foundsomepaper.com/10-most-creative-christmas-trees/
http://www.foundsomepaper.com/10-most-creative-christmas-trees/#respondMon, 05 Dec 2016 06:00:12 +0000http://www.foundsomepaper.com/?p=3565 Presenting to you the 10 most creative Christmas trees is kind of therapy for me. Usually, I go nuts every year around Christmas. I start surrounding myself with Christmas stuff mid-November and listen to Christmas music whenever I can. But this year things have changed. I’m not going to get a Christmas tree due […]

Presenting to you the 10 most creative Christmas trees is kind of therapy for me. Usually, I go nuts every year around Christmas. I start surrounding myself with Christmas stuff mid-November and listen to Christmas music whenever I can. But this year things have changed. I’m not going to get a Christmas tree due to rational reasons. What?! I’m leaving for Germany mid-December already so I thought it’s not worth getting a Christmas tree for my London flat. I never make rational decisions when it comes to Christmas… That’s when I realised I’m getting old. Oh no!

I remember when my parents announced one day that we won’t have a real Christmas tree at home anymore. That was a couple of years ago and we now have a fake one every year. I’m almost too embarrassed to tell you that. On the other side, we don’t kill trees anymore (at least that’s what I’m telling myself). Now, I started to be my parents. Help!

But I still have my blog and I can live Christmas here. Yay! Lucky you! So that’s why I wanted to cheer you up (or myself) with the 10 most creatives Christmas trees. I recently went to a press breakfast at the Ace Hotel to see the Fabrica and the J.W. Anderson Christmas trees (see below). That inspired me to look for more unusual Christmas trees.

I finally felt a little more christmassy. I thought then it doesn’t always have to be the usual decoration or even a proper Christmas tree to celebrate the season. All the below Christmas trees inspire me and I think next year I’m going to create my own unique Christmas tree.

]]>http://www.foundsomepaper.com/10-most-creative-christmas-trees/feed/0The Best Art And Design Local Shops In London – Oxo Tower Wharfhttp://www.foundsomepaper.com/oxo-tower-wharf/
http://www.foundsomepaper.com/oxo-tower-wharf/#respondMon, 28 Nov 2016 06:00:58 +0000http://www.foundsomepaper.com/?p=3546 I don’t know about you but the older I get the more conscious I am about what I buy. That’s why I think now it’s even more important than ever to pay attention to local shops. As you know, I am a huge fan of everything art and design related so that’s why I think the […]

I don’t know about you but the older I get the more conscious I am about what I buy. That’s why I think now it’s even more important than ever to pay attention to local shops. As you know, I am a huge fan of everything art and design related so that’s why I think the Oxo Tower Wharf is one big hidden gem in central London. Well, it’s not really hidden but I have the feeling not a lot of people know that it accommodates over 25 independent shops located on two floors in the front and the back of the building. It’s also surrounded by art such as the Mise-en-abyme created by artist duo de Allegri & Fogale.

Many of the local shops at Oxo Tower Wharf are studios as well as shops so you sometimes will be able to see the designers in action. Just like Doreen who makes beautiful scarves on her weaving machine. What else can you find there? Jewellery, fashion, textiles, ceramics, glass, lighting, product design and interior accessories. I can’t tell you which shop is the best to be honest because they’re all so unique. It really depends on what you’re looking for but I’m 100% sure you will find something amazing.

Every year it’s almost a torture to find the right presents for my family. I have the feeling I gave them pretty much everything already. So it’s nice to actually tell them a little story about where their gift comes from and who the person is behind the design and the product. I love these little details and I think people with a conscious mind are looking out for products which are different and tell a story. It feels so much better than receiving a gift every second person will receive on Christmas. Would you agree?

Last but not least, if you’re interested in art and design exhibitions it’s worth checking out the back of the Oxo Tower Wharf and look for the premises of Bargehouse. From 2nd to 4th December 2016, The London Illustration Fair returns to the Bargehouse. I can’t wait to see the exhibition… and maybe go shopping after.

]]>http://www.foundsomepaper.com/oxo-tower-wharf/feed/0What Are The Best Christmas Gifts For Him This Year?http://www.foundsomepaper.com/the-best-christmas-gifts-for-him-this-year/
http://www.foundsomepaper.com/the-best-christmas-gifts-for-him-this-year/#respondSun, 13 Nov 2016 21:12:59 +0000http://www.foundsomepaper.com/?p=3529 It’s that time of the year where I can finally start to think about Christmas again. Yay! Therefore, I couldn’t resist selecting the best Christmas gifts for him this year again. Yes, again! Because last year, my gift guide was a success. Finding a present for your friend, boyfriend, brother or father is not […]

It’s that time of the year where I can finally start to think about Christmas again. Yay! Therefore, I couldn’t resist selecting the best Christmas gifts for him this year again. Yes, again! Because last year, my gift guide was a success. Finding a present for your friend, boyfriend, brother or father is not easy but I have found the coolest gifts for Xmas this year. Have a look at the below gifts and let me know what’s your favourite.

I’m always curious to discover new Xmas gift guides and I hope you’ll pick one of the best Christmas gifts for him this year. Unfortunately, I can’t reveal what I’m going to give to my boyfriend but I’ll let you know as soon as he unwraps the present. Luckily in Germany, we celebrate Christmas on the 24th of December so we don’t have to wait until Christmas Day.

Stay tuned for another gift guide soon! I have found so many amazing gift ideas but the worst is that I want to give them all to myself. I know, I know. That’s obviously super selfish and I’m not going to buy them (all) for myself. At least, my friends and family know that I really like the gifts because I would give them to myself. Is that bad or good?!

Back to the gifts for him… My favourite is the Tom Dixon Coffee Maker. I’d love to give this to my boyfriend as a present but unfortunately, he’s not a coffee drinker so it would be a little bit too obvious that this would be a present mainly for me hahaha

]]>http://www.foundsomepaper.com/the-best-christmas-gifts-for-him-this-year/feed/0You Need These 3 Amazing Stationery Brands In Your Lifehttp://www.foundsomepaper.com/amazing-stationery-brands/
http://www.foundsomepaper.com/amazing-stationery-brands/#commentsSun, 23 Oct 2016 07:00:19 +0000http://www.foundsomepaper.com/?p=3466 What’s your favourite stationery brand? I think I will never stop writing about stationery because I love it so much and I hope you do, too. This time, I want to introduce you to 3 amazing stationery brands you need in your life. Why? Because they will inspire you to be creative both with their […]

What’s your favourite stationery brand? I think I will never stop writing about stationery because I love it so much and I hope you do, too. This time, I want to introduce you to 3 amazing stationery brands you need in your life. Why? Because they will inspire you to be creative both with their designs and their blank papers. Where else is the best place to jot down your creative thoughts, right?!

I discovered Katie Housley Stationery only recently and I really love her style. Especially her new collection is gorgeous. She hand-paints the illustrations and sometimes adds a little touch to it, like gold paper. Her new collection is all about nature and I love the simplicity of her drawings. But I’m also a fan of her geometric cards which are so minimalist.

Do you remember Lonetree? I had an amazing interview with them on my blog already, therefore I couldn’t resist including them in my top list of amazing stationery brands. I love that they’re experimenting with nature but also humour. What a wonderful combination. ‘Milk & Gold’ as well as ‘Geometric in Nature’ are their latest collections, which were selected as finalists for the recent PaperAwards in both the Emotive and Exciting Use of Colour categories (love these categories). Congratulations to the team!

This luxury stationery brand was the first one I ever introduced you to on my blog – twice (here & here) – and I’m still a massive fan. I’m always curious what Katie Leamon Stationery is coming up with in their next collection and they never disappoint. Have you seen their gorgeous notebooks? I still have the Marbled 07 Notebook and guess what it’s still untouched, just because it’s so beautiful and precious. I want to save it for the perfect content. I know, I know, it’s ridiculous but I like the thought that it’s waiting for me there. One day…

]]>http://www.foundsomepaper.com/amazing-stationery-brands/feed/4My Biggest Creative Project At The Momenthttp://www.foundsomepaper.com/biggest-creative-project/
http://www.foundsomepaper.com/biggest-creative-project/#commentsSun, 16 Oct 2016 07:30:09 +0000http://www.foundsomepaper.com/?p=3496Photo by CMoreVision Okay, my biggest creative project at the moment is maybe not what you think it is. Although it’s highly creative it has nothing to do with painting, drawing or DIY. If you need a reminder what ‘being creative’ means, read another blog post of mine here. Since I started my own business, The […]

Okay, my biggest creative project at the moment is maybe not what you think it is. Although it’s highly creative it has nothing to do with painting, drawing or DIY. If you need a reminder what ‘being creative’ means, read another blog post of mine here.

Since I started my own business, The Social Hunter, a lot of things have changed and I now try to combine my profession (social media) and my passion (this blog). So I partnered up with a friend to found Digital x 2. We want to run workshops and talks around social media and digital communications. But we don’t only want to talk about the usual stuff; that’s why we developed the ‘Become Your Own Brand Influencer‘ workshop. Our first workshop / talk will take place on 3rd November 2016 at Campus London. I’m so thrilled that the event is fully booked already but don’t worry we’re planning on running this workshop a couple of times due to high demand.

The idea of Digital x 2 started when my friend Emelie and I figured out we have so much expertise and stories to share. We wanted to speak to people and help them out. Our workshop should inspire people to think out of the box and be more creative in their professional lives. All this is a very exciting journey for me. I can talk about creative ideas all the time – here on my blog but also when I meet new clients.

Whatever you do I think these three steps might be useful in order to start a creative project.

Create a website (we used a WordPress template)

Get some nice photos (in this case we took some photos of us & collaborated with CMoreVision)

Start one or more social media channels around the project

Everything else will follow and you will figure things out on the way. Once we have run the workshop I will tell you all about my learnings. Promised!

]]>http://www.foundsomepaper.com/biggest-creative-project/feed/2Explore The Koppel Project In London – A Guest Blog Posthttp://www.foundsomepaper.com/the-koppel-project/
http://www.foundsomepaper.com/the-koppel-project/#respondThu, 06 Oct 2016 06:30:43 +0000http://www.foundsomepaper.com/?p=3470The Koppel Project Cafe (Baker Street) My talented artist friend Natalja recently visited The Koppel Project in London and I’m very happy to present to you what she has discovered. After you’ve read all about The Koppel Project make sure to also check out her own artworks here. THE KOPPEL PROJECT Visiting The Koppel […]

My talented artist friend Natalja recently visited The Koppel Project in London and I’m very happy to present to you what she has discovered. After you’ve read all about The Koppel Project make sure to also check out her own artworks here.

Visiting The Koppel Project spaces was inspiring and moving. This art venue delves right into the most current events with their exhibition that centres on Colombia and its people.

Both a place for social engagement, as well as a commercial gallery, The Koppel Project is an interesting, inclusive space that infuses the local community with art. Spread across two spaces, one located in a decommissioned bank vault in 93 Baker Street, the other one situated in 26 Holborn Viaduct, the project encompasses studio spaces, a cafe, and co-working space, as well as Phaidon publishing house’s only UK bookstore.

In contrast to other, more commercial galleries, The Koppel Project offers mentoring to artists and writers and runs a program of free cultural events, on top of offering traineeships, work experience, and mentoring programs. It is actually a non-profit venture, run by Gabriella Sonabend and Hannah Thorne, the gallery co-directors and co-curators. An interesting mixture of a simultaneously commercial and educational space, both directors hope that the future of the project will include a flourishing educational program that runs alongside exhibitions that will help international artists sell excellent work as a crucial part of sustaining their practice.

Paintings by Gabriella Sonabend and sculpture by Sol Bailey Barker (The Hive)

Phaidon bookshop at The Koppel Project (Baker Street)

The current exhibitions, “From Myth To Earth” and “Mitologia De La Tierra”, are immersive, outwardly gorgeous, thematically ambitious and very current.

“From Myth To Earth” is comprised of work that Sol Bailey Barker and Gabriella Sonabend produced during their seven-month residency in Colombia, as well as during a year and a half of research thereafter. Sol’s and Gabriella’s works invite the viewer to see, feel, smell and listen, taking them through Colombian history, mythologies, folklore and landscapes. The exhibition is situated in the Koppel Project Hive in Holborn, it is spread over two floors and spans a variety of disciplines and media.

“Mitologia De La Tierra” complements the previously mentioned exhibition. It is comprised of work by a variety of Colombian artists and gives the viewer an inside perspective of the country and of Colombian identity. Both shows bring the country’s struggle to life, providing a background to the recent signing of the peace treaty between the Colombian government and the FARC guerrilla group and the subsequent rejection of it by a very fine margin of the population via a referendum.

Gabriella’s body of work consists of a series of paintings and several short stories that she wrote and that were then recorded as audio files. The former are vibrant figurative works, depicting, as seen through the artist’s eyes, the people she encountered in Colombia and their surroundings. Some of the colourful pigments used in these works were harvested in Colombia and now lend this series of paintings a unique charm.

Gabriella’s short stories are a jarring counterpoint to this seemingly idyllic imagery. They talk about casual greed, war, dehumanisation and how people strive to find solace in any kind of normalcy, numbed by the horrors befalling them. These stories can be listened to via several pairs of headphones while sitting down on a bench within a tin-hut that is open on one side; a semi-private setting I was grateful for when immersed in the intense narratives.

Where Gabriella’s work covers the visual and aural aspect of the exhibition, Sol’s creations are of sculptural and photographic nature. The materials used, span everything from local wood and metal to found objects, combining indigenous items and shapes with industrial materials. A lot of the sculptures seen in the exhibition are one of a pair of identical pieces. One of each of them was left in Colombia to decompose and rejoin their place of origin, representing the artist’s response to recent and historical events.

The sculptures that were left behind were documented via photographs, which are part of the exhibition in Holborn. The sculptures’ identical counterparts, physically present, invite the viewer to explore their textures and interact with them. Outwardly beautiful and light in shape, they simultaneously are an exploration of heavier themes, such as resistance and the turning of instruments of death into instruments of life.

The Koppel Project space in Baker Street is housing another side to the previously described exhibition. “Mitologia De La Tierra” is comprised of artwork by 7 Colombian artists whom Gabriella and Sol interacted with and were influenced by during their residency and whom they believe are key voices in understanding contemporary Colombian identity.

Similarly immersive to the show in Holborn, 93 Baker Street’s underground exhibition space is beautifully curated and leads the viewer through a labyrinth of sculptures, drawings, paintings, video and audio works that speak of individual narratives, self-expression within and outside of the country, as well as reflections on Colombia’s past and present. Most prevalent is a sense of mourning and also an enormous longing for hope for the future.

THE ARTISTS

One of Ivan Castillo’s contributions to the exhibition, “One Night”, depicts a number of hand-drawn, graphite star maps of the date and time of where massacres during Colombia’s recent history occurred. He strives to “make present the experiences of pain without reproducing images of violence”. These drawings achieve that by using the sky as a metaphor for connection between people, which can bridge the distance that the city population of Bogotá experiences in regards to the violence prevalent in the countryside. These works seem pitch black from a distance and are faceted like an illuminated night sky up close. Furthermore, they are discreetly labelled with the place, month and year of each massacre.

Ivan Castillo is usually based in Bogotá and will participate in a Koppel Project residency. “His work ties together an emotional and intellectual response to history and memory, questioning how he defines and locates himself within his country’s past.“

Crista Castellanos works with documentary and photography, she “is a Colombian visual artist who unearths stories of those who dare to question lifestyles inherited by their culture.” Her contribution to the group exhibition at the Koppel Project is a short documentary about narratives to do with Colombia. She manages to emphasise the contrast between personal narratives and their wider context by addressing the stories of individuals, the stories that the media tell and the influence it has on people’s perception. Seeing her work, it seems that she addresses a global phenomenon rather than a local propaganda problem. “Her topics vary from the use of sacred plants, African dance in Colombia, to the ancestral feminine ritual called ‘Lasiembra de Luna’ where women offer their menstrual blood to the earth instead of discarding it.”

Juliana Góngora’s artwork within the Koppel Project’s exhibition deals with the passing of time and the evolution of craft, centring on a highly personal narrative. Her artwork “Cuja” is the replica of Juliana’s Grandfather’s bed, which she covered with a blanket made of woven cotton thread and rice grains. “Cuja” is a term that is used to describe “an artisanal bed made of wood and cow skin used in warm climates to keep the body fresh while sleeping”. The artwork by that same name is a part of a series of four pieces that recreates scenes from the old house of Juliana’ grandparents and her father, which is situated in a small village in Colombia. The original artwork is photographically represented in the exhibition at the Koppel Project. Additionally, a miniature copy of the cotton and rice blanket of a filigree quality is on show there. The distance to the point of its origin is a vital component of the original work, which endows the photographic representation, as well as the miniature, with a new kind of meaning.

Omar Castañeda’s work includes some of the most intriguing pieces within the exhibition and yet, his work is probably the most bizarre sounding in writing. He addresses the concept of contrast in a variety of combinations by using a very specific medium: tin cans. He describes the reasoning behind his own work best by stating that there is no pleasure in opening a tin of pineapples in Hawaii where you are surrounded by thousands of fresh and sweet specimens. His cans, however, open to reveal sculptures made of human teeth, precious metals, feathers and other assorted materials instead of pineapples. Dissolving “most preconceived distinctions between nature and culture, production and consumption, morals and markets, family and society, the individual and the collective, body and mind” via the subject of food, each can seem to have its own narrative.

One artwork of Maria Leguizamo’s that can be seen in this exhibition is made up of the most fragile and invisible part of the human body. Having collected strangers’ single hairs, she tied them together into a thread that is hundreds of meters long and wound it around a spool. The end of the thread was then attached to the wall of the exhibition space. Despite its fragility, this thread of hair is used to represent a physical and symbolic connection between people. This spool, “always coiled to be used”, was the main instrument of a performance piece of Maria’s in 2012, wherein she uncoiled the hair-thread along the so-called “divorce street” in Bogotá, on one side of which sat Colombia’s seat of power and on the other end was San Victorino, a neglected neighbourhood.

Melissa Cruz Garcia has been educated in various parts of Europe. Interested in artisan and portable ways of communicating, as well as searching for unconventional uses of visual technology and other media, her somewhat nomadic life is reflected in her artistic practice. Melissa’s contribution to “Mitologia De La Tierra” includes works such as “Portable landscape in your palm”. An installation that consists of, what appear to be, about six foldout books contained in boxes, which sit on shelves of different levels that are attached to the wall length-wise or perpendicularly. They represent the artist’s meditations on what a landscape could look like and feel like from an aerial view. Visitors are invited to interact with the colourful work, entering into this imaginary place and gently changing its topography.

German Arrubla’s artwork revolves around being present in “the Here and Now”. Part of his process involves utilising historical documents, a physical residue of the past, and “images that are no longer part of the collective memory”, which the audience relate to presently and which changes their relationship with the present. One of his contributions to “Mitologia De La Tierra” is a sculptural work that is part of a series called “Space-Time Coordinates”, in which a copy of the Colombian constitution drafted in Rionegro in 1863 is encased within a metal grid made of rods that are normally used to reinforce concrete. The document, which is the most advanced one in the 19th century, only remained in force for twenty years, but it “paved the way to a secular society and the triumph of radical liberalism.” The gravity of the object and the elation associated with it are both represented within this artwork.

]]>http://www.foundsomepaper.com/the-koppel-project/feed/0Found The Ultimate Berlin Travel Guidehttp://www.foundsomepaper.com/the-ultimate-berlin-travel-guide/
http://www.foundsomepaper.com/the-ultimate-berlin-travel-guide/#respondTue, 20 Sep 2016 17:55:23 +0000http://www.foundsomepaper.com/?p=3408 I went to Berlin for a couple of days and I couldn’t resist sharing with you the ultimate Berlin travel guide. I did some research before I visited Berlin and found some cool places on different websites, on Instagram or they were recommendations from friends. I thought that all the places I visited were absolutely […]

I went to Berlin for a couple of days and I couldn’t resist sharing with you the ultimate Berlin travel guide. I did some research before I visited Berlin and found some cool places on different websites, on Instagram or they were recommendations from friends. I thought that all the places I visited were absolutely amazing. You won’t regret checking these places out when you’re going to travel to Berlin.

Believe me, it won’t be the last time I come to this city. In fact, I want to move there. It’s a bit odd because I used to live in Berlin when I was a child but that’s such a long time ago. Berlin has changed so much and it’s one of my favourite cities in the world now. It’s super chilled out and there are so many places to discover, it never gets boring. I do think it’s a bit like East London, just bigger (PS: I love East London).

I hope you’ll enjoy this ultimate Berlin travel guide! Do let me know if you know of any other cool places in Berlin!

Restaurants & Cafés

House of Small Wonders is open during the day and serves breakfast and lunch. I just loved the entrance of this place. It does look like a small wonder, doesn’t it? It’s a very relaxed café. I would say it’s definitely worth a visit (hello, Instagram!) but I do have to mention that I wasn’t too impressed with their menu. It was basic food for quite a bit of money.

I found this place randomly when I was looking for a breakfast place in Berlin-Mitte, close to our Airbnb flat. Zimt und Zucker is right next to the river Spree and has indoor and outdoor seats. The food and the atmosphere were amazing! I have tried many different types of breakfast but I still think German breakfast is the best (okay, I’m biased). The bread is always so fresh and healthy and you have so much on your plate to choose from. I highly recommend this cute restaurant!

Surprise! This Japanese restaurant is in the same building as House of Small Wonders. If I’m not mistaken it’s run by the same people but it looks very different. Zenkichi is located in the basement and it’s a little oasis. It’s so zen in there, you don’t even feel you’re in a big city. It was empty at the reception so I asked if it’s even open. Ops, I had no idea that it was a labyrinth with little cubes where people enjoyed their dinner. We chose to taste everything from their menu and it was an excellent choice. Absolutely yummy and a reasonable price for the quality of food.

This is really one of the best restaurants in town and probably a cuisine you don’t eat every day. Neni Restaurant is founded by a mother and her 4 sons (read more here). The food is influenced by a mix of Persian, Moroccan, Spanish and Israeli. I went there with my parents and we chose Balagan style which means ‘wonderful chaos’. It was absolutely delicious! This place is best with a couple of people to share the dishes.

The Monkey Bar is right next to Neni on the same floor. We basically had dinner first and then enjoyed some cocktails at the Monkey Bar with a view over the zoo. It’s a great atmosphere. The only downside is the waiting time for your cocktails. Bring a lot of patience with you because it can take a while. They might even forget your order if you ordered at the bar.

I really loved this place. It’s a bit hard to find because it’s on top of a car park (not so fancy) but once you get in you don’t remember that you’re actually in a car park. We had to queue for a while but I don’t think it’ll be that crowded in October. Klunkerkranich is quite a quirky place. At the night we visited, they played Hip Hop performed by puppets. It was an interesting concept. I highly recommend this place and hope it’ll be there every year.

I think I wrote down this place in my little Berlin notebook but at the end, it was destiny to come here because we just found it without looking for it. It is a very quiet place in Berlin Tiergarten next to a little lake (hence the name). You can chill with beer or wine and some traditional German food at Café am Neuen See. If it’s not too expensive for you, you can also be super romantic and rent a boat. It looks crowded but I didn’t have the feeling it was touristy.

I don’t have any photos from this place because I was too hypnotised by the jazz music we listened to that night. It’s a very small and intimate place with a lot of character. I didn’t realise it was right around the corner of Klunkerkranich. We listened to Flexible Eingreiftruppe. Such amazing talents! It couldn’t get any more local. Check out their schedule; although Donau115 is a jazz bar they don’t always have jazz musicians playing and I really wanted to listen to some authentic jazz music whilst visiting Berlin.

Okay, I’m not listing all the festivals in Berlin now but I will tell you more about the one I have visited during my time in Berlin. In fact, it’s the only festival I’ve ever been to in Berlin but I think a festival like that could not get any better. Lollapalooza is an international festival and it took place in Berlin for the second time. My boyfriend and I initially wanted to go because he is a big Radiohead fan. But the festival was so much more than just music. There was a lot of entertainment and it even had a corner where all the kids could hang out. Seriously, life is not over when you have kids. I’d probably go to even more festivals when I have children (hint to my boyfriend).

I wanted to visit much more museums and galleries but a) the weather was too amazing to spend too much time inside and b) there was just not enough time to do everything. On top of my list though was this private gallery by the Boros couple. It’s full of history and art. It was built at the end of the Second World War as a safety bunker; it was then taken by the Red Army and used as a banana storage during the Cold War and it was also the biggest techno / sex club during the 90s (PS: the founders are running now Berghain). In 2003 it was bought by the media owners Boros and renovated until 2008. Now it’s a private art gallery and the family lives on top of the bunker in a penthouse (crazy!). It’s really impressive and you can still see the history of the building inside. We were not allowed to take photos so you need to see it for yourself!

Berlin is a shopping paradise but unfortunately, I couldn’t explore all the places and markets due to time scarcity. I still want to introduce you to one cool shopping place: the Bikini Berlin. This shopping mall is also conveniently located in the same building as the Neni Restaurant and the Monkey Bar right next to the zoo. Bikini Berlin has a lot of individual pop-ups and cafés and I wouldn’t be able to compare it to any other traditional shopping mall. Don’t say I didn’t warn you, the shops are all amazing and I’m sure you can’t resist buying something…

Accommodation

I’m a fan of Airbnb so it was my first thought to book a place through their website. I found out later that it’s not that easy for people in Berlin to rent out their entire flat. I think they need to pay quite a bit of taxes, so it’s more common to rent out a room and that’s exactly what we did. Check out our Airbnb place here. The location was fantastic, right next to the Boros Bunker.

My boyfriend really wanted to stay one night at the Michelberger Hotel. Check out their website, it looks so cool. Whilst my boyfriend thought the Michelberger Hotel was great, I was a bit disappointed. The reception area, lobby, and the restaurant looked amazing but the rooms were so small and had nothing special in them. Some people are a fan of bathrooms with windows and I just think the bathroom should be a private zone but I do admit it’s a personal preference. In a nutshell, I thought it was a bit too expensive for what they offered. Maybe it’s because I was too impressed with the citizenM hotel in London (better price-performance ratio)…

Address: Warschauer Str. 39-40, 10243 Berlin

Berlin’s Districts – Impressions

In general, it’s just cool to rent a bike and cruise around Berlin’s districts. There is so much to see and you can just stop at any time and chill out in a café, in a park or by the river Spree. I’m sure Berlin can be experienced very individually and differently by everyone. I can definitely recommend the districts Friedrichshain, Kreuzberg, and Prenzlauer Berg.

Last but not least, if you want to try a very traditional alcoholic drink in Berlin you must try Berliner Weisse as seen in the picture. It might sound a little weird but it’s a mix of beer and syrup; you can choose between raspberry (red) and woodruff (green) syrup.